The interstate highway system was built along routes to move the military. I wonder what value is the link between Phoenix to Las Vegas? If there was any military value it would have been built by now. They can build a tollroad using bonds that way the tax payer is not on the hook for more money.

This proposed Hwy is of no benefit to Arizona. It only Benefits Nevada. Arizona should investigate the needs of their citizens and develop projects in Arizona that would provide those needs so that the people would not want to drive to Vegas. Simple economics, 56% of the 9% of the 39 Million visitors that travel Las Vegas via Arizona by driving = 1,965,600 or round off to "2 million people". First let's just look at the potential retail sales that are taken out of Arizona to Las Vegas in the form of Hotels, food, Entertainer and Misc. Conservative assumption would estimate at least $100 per person. That is a very low estimate of $200 Million of year that could and should stay in the Arizona economy. Then as far as Fuel related issues ...

Distance form Phoenix to Las Vegas = 600 miles round trip.

2 million people = 1,200,000.000 miles (yeah Trillion)But lets assume that the average vehicle has 2 occupants. so we'll cut total mileage in half to 600 Million miles per trip.

If the average car gets 20 mpgThat is 30 gallons per trip.

That equals 30 million gallons of gasoline.

And if Gasoline is $4 a gallon $120,000,000 would be spent on fuel.

Now let's look at the overall picture. If Arizona developed it's own Gambling Entertainment Mecca

The $200 Million in retail sales could be kept in ArizonaAnd the $120 Million in fuel costs could be spent locally. And the savings of not wasting 30 Million gallons of gasoline.

and let's not forget the influx of Tourists that would be attracted to the New Entertainment and Gambling Mecca. This could be worth $1 BILLION or more a year.

That's some very good reasons for Arizona to create a Plan to get Big Developers involved for Multi Billion Development.

Oh but wait ... this is too logical and Politicians aren't logical. So let's spend Billions of dollars on an interstate to keep sending Arizona money to Vegas.